Fallen Dust
by IshizuWolfRider
Summary: Ever skin falls off, flaking away and growing anew. Some things however, cannot be replaced. Somewhat animeverse. Yaoi, EdwardxEnvy


In the end, he was still a child.

The last thing he wanted was for anyone to die, and something in his chest screamed painfully at the thought of letting Envy drown in the Philosopher's Stone fluid. Already the sin's body was decomposing, beginning to dissolve.

Although afraid of the alchemic reaction that might occur, Ed plunged his automail into the red solution. Just as Envy was dissipating, so did his automail, but instead of becoming nothing, it chipped off and became human skin.

Almost in slow motion, the homunculus reached up for his hand, just barely grasping it. In another second he was on the floor, gasping for breath.

"Why did you save me?"

Ed sighed. "If you're worried about me killing you, don't. I don't have any intention of-"

"That's not what I asked!"

Glaring, red water still dripping from the ends of his hair and running in rivulets down his arms, Envy looked every bit the ferocious sin he was named after. His fierce look was broken by his eyes going wide, one hand coming up to clutch at his chest as he began to gag.

"Hey, you okay?! Envy?!" Panicked, the alchemist knelt near him, but a strong arm whipped out and slammed into his chest, sending him flying at least ten feet away. Even from this distance, he could tell that Envy was throwing up the red stones that served as the homunculi's extra lives. They slowly melted into a growing puddle, unable to be eaten again.

At last he stopped heaving, rolling onto his side to rest, still coughing weakly. Ed found this to be the best time to approach him, observing the way his whole body shook.

"Why won't these heal?" Ed pointed to the spots where Envy had begun to dematerialize.

"The red water, and the fact that-" Envy broke off coughing, then glared at the pool made of liquefied stones. "I have no stones left. Damn bitch, putting me-"

As he began coughing again, he reached for the alchemist's half human arm. "As soon as the red water dries, your hand will probably go back to being automail." He began to rub it off, scratching off the flakes of skin until the silver automail gleamed once more.

Ed smiled bitterly. "I knew it couldn't last."

"I'll tell you a secret, if you do something for me."

Highly suspicious, the blonde asked, "What?"

"Transmute your arm into a blade."

In a flash of blue light it was done, although Ed was very careful not to keep it too close to the homunculus.

Envy smiled, a small, almost sad one, beckoning the alchemist closer. As he neared, the sin wrapped one arm around his back, using it as support to lean up slightly. "I'll tell you a secret." He whispered into the blonde's ear. "You can make your limbs real again if you dip all of it into the water. Then you have to let it dry by itself. Do. Not. Touch. It."

Too focused on what he was saying, Ed didn't notice Envy's left hand closing around the automail and bringing the tip to his chest.

"At the same time, I'm sure you can crystallize it or something into the Philosopher's Stone, to save your brother."

There was a sickening sound, crimson spreading over silver automail and dripping down porcelain skin.

"Thank you." Ed felt Envy kiss his cheek gently, smearing a streak of blood on his skin.

XXXXX

Ed reemerged from the tunnel, carrying a fair skinned, green-haired being in his arms. Blood was soaking into his jacket and clothes, several drops falling to stain the church floor.

"Brother? Are you okay?! What's with all the blood?!"

Ed jumped, turning to face the suit of armor that still housed his little brother's soul. "Al," he breathed. He turned away again, heading towards the open church doors. "Go down and wait for me. We're getting you fixed up, okay?"

"Brother! Your arm, your leg! They're human again!"

Ed smiled bitterly. "Yeah."

"What happened?"

"…Maybe someday I'll tell you."

XXXXX

"Did you know, Envy? Did you know that I loved you?"

XXXXX

"Morning, Colonel."

Roy looked up. Ed _never_ greeted him like that. _Ever._

He looked the same. White gloves, rebellious red coat, thick braid. There was a large bandage on his cheek, but nothing that looked too serious.

But something was off. It took him a moment, but at last the Flame Alchemist realized it.

Ed's footsteps were even.

"Here's my report, sir."

Roy took the offered envelope, reaching inside. It was the standard report, written in nearly illegible chicken scratch.

"Alright, Fullmetal, you're dismissed."

Ed gave a strange shudder, an almost flinch. "Actually, sir, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about." He reached into the right pocket of his pants, pulling out the state alchemist watch and placing it on the desk.

A trained soldier, Roy's obsidian eyes missed nothing. The blonde's hands were shaking. He leaned forward, folding his fingers together and resting his chin on top. "What happened?"

No reply was given, only an unaddressed letter shoved in his face. As he took it, Ed pulled up the right sleeve of his coat, showing the flesh and blood arm beneath it. "It's real, Roy. We're whole again."

"And now you have no reason to stay in the military."

Bangs hiding his eyes, the blonde shook his head. "We're going back to Resembool."

"…Be careful, Edward."

For the first time that day, the blonde met his eyes, saluting his officer. Roy saluted back, then could only watch as Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, walked out, never to return.

XXXXX

_Colonel Roy Mustang,_

_I'm resigning from the military. You probably already know that, but please, bear with me. The report I gave you, or will give you, is an act. It will tell you nothing about what happened. I'll give you the details, but __only__ to you. Maybe Al, one day, but for now, you deserve to know._

_First, before I go on, let me ask another favor of you: when you finish reading this, burn it. It doesn't need to be kept for someone else's eyes to find. Also, I hope you don't mind too much, but you were like the father I never knew. I am sad to give this feeling up, but perhaps explaining my actions might make it easier._

_There's an old church in the outskirts of Dublith, near the mountains. The alter opens into a staircase, leading down. At the bottom is a large lake of perfect Red Water, already infused with thousands of human lives. I had gotten a lead about the Philosopher's Stone, and was investigating. Al was waiting in the church; I didn't want him to go down first, because I could smell the chemicals, and who knew what I'd find._

_I sure didn't expect to find a drowning homunculus. You remember Envy, the one that wore the weird tank top and skort outfit? He was drowning. The Red Water was dissolving his body, almost in an alchemical reaction. I managed to pull him out, which partially turned my hand into flesh. But the water had made him sick, and he coughed up all the imperfect stones in his body, the stones homunculi use to sustain themselves._

_He was weak, not even able to move properly. He said he'd tell me a secret if I transmuted my arm for him. He showed me that the change the water had made only stayed if it dried naturally, and if it was rubbed off, it became metal again. He also told me that I could probably transmute all the water into a Philosopher's Stone for Al._

_Then, when I wasn't paying attention, he took my automail blade and stabbed himself. Just before he died, he thanked me, and kissed my cheek._

_This is embarrassing to tell you, but I loved him. I don't know how, I just did. And he killed himself, right in front of me. I think he wanted to, because he was tired of living, and tired of fighting in a battle that he couldn't win._

_After that, I carried him upstairs and buried him, then made the Philosopher's Stone and used it to get Al's body back. You have no idea how excited he is now, and how hard it was to get him to sleep tonight. His first night sleeping in over four years. He was so happy, being able to taste and smell and touch and feel everything._

_I love Alphonse, I love him with all my heart. I'm so glad that he's back, and he can live normally now. But at the same time, I can't help feeling as if my life has been turned around, and I'm not sure what to do with myself. I feel as if a very large part of me has been torn out and ripped up._

_Roy, I want to thank you. You were the one who returned our letter when we did Taboo. You were the one who pushed us on, helped us, gave us a chance at our goals. There is nothing that I can do to repay that. Thank you._

_I hope your goal comes true some day._

_Sincerely,_

_Edward Elric_

XXXXX

"Send Hawkeye in here, now."

"_Yes, sir."_

Always prompt, Riza knocked on the door sooner than he expected. She also missed nothing; as soon as she walked in, she noticed the smoldering parchment in the colonel's ashtray, and the open pocket watch sitting in front of him.

Don't forget, 3 Oct 10 was scratched on the inside, a child's way of carrying guilt.

"He's gone, hasn't he, sir?"

Roy nodded, head resting on the bridge of his interlocked fingers. "They managed to finish what they started, what they set out to do."

"But?"

Their eyes met. Roy's obsidian eyes were sad, weighted down with some knowledge she didn't know. "But I think that the price he paid was more than he could bear."

XXXXX

"What? You're leaving?!"

Ed flinched. "There's just one last thing I need to do, Al, and then I'll be back."

"But we just got here!" When no reply came, Al reached for his brother's coat, tugging it gently to stop him. "It's about Envy, isn't it?"

Ed looked over at the whistling train, not wanting to admit it. "It's nothing, Al."

"You still haven't told me what happened."

"I know." Ed smiled, to reassure his brother. "I'll tell you when I get back, okay?" He began to step on the train, the last one on the platform.

"What about Winry? You don't want to see her again?"

The blonde stopped, hesitating. "Tell her I said thanks, and I'll be home soon."

Al could only watch as his brother, Edward Elric, got on the train and moved slowly out of sight.

XXXXX

"Well, this is ironic, isn't it?"

"Usually it was you who chased us down, for your own gain. Now the roles are reversed, and I've come to you."

"We're definitely going to have to do something different. I can't keep coming all the way out here, but I can't stand the distance apart."

Bitter smirk. "I think this was another form of punishment. We got what we wanted, but at a price, one that I can't really afford. Crazy, how I fell in love with my enemy."

Whispered. "You know, that's why I saved you. I couldn't bear to watch you die, or drown or whatever."

"So where am I supposed to go next? Now that I've been running around as a dog for over four years, and given that up, what am I supposed to do with myself? I can't just leave Al by himself, and I want to watch him grow up."

Ed clutched the small bottle he now wore around his neck, looking down at the small flakes of red and beige. "…I'm glad I got at least some part of you."

A clap, a flash of blue light, and several rose bushes were circling the head of a settling mound of upturned earth. Quietly, it began to rain, accompanied by thunder that sounded strangely like a howl of pain.

**No, this is not supposed to make sense. Take it as you will. I based this off of an Edvy picture, the one where Envy is in the red fluid stuff, and Ed is kneeling on the water and reaching down for him.**

**For all my Thieves readers, the next chapter should be out soon, if it's not already. I'm still reediting it, and last night I found a plot hole. I got very upset, seeing as how it took me forever to write what I had already. But it's almost done, so yay!**

**Panic, Chibi, thanks for being my betas. You guys are awesome.**

I completely LOVED that oneshot!! Please review and give the credit that this piece of writing deserves! I'll give you a hug!


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